


Pokemon Demodex

by TheRechercheRambler



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: Beta Pokemon, Demo Pokemon, Gen, Pokedex, Pokemon demo, Spaceworld 1997 Demo, Spaceworld Demo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 15:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15318414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRechercheRambler/pseuds/TheRechercheRambler
Summary: A series of in-depth Pokedex entries for the unused Pokemon and proto-Pokemon from the Spaceworld 1997 demo of Gold and Silver. Early designs will be considered regional variants.





	1. Blossomole, the Synthesis Pokemon

Whereas most branching evolutionary lines remain divided through a Pokemon's final stage, the Chikorita line is peculiar in that it has two secondary forms with a shared tertiary form. In an attempt to make sense of this, many researchers dub the Pokemon colloquially known as Blossomole “sessile Bayleef.”

Blossomole is an extremely rare Pokemon in the wild, and thankfully almost unheard of in the possession of Trainers. Evolution into Blossomole only occurs when a Chikorita has accumulated sufficient power (what the Devon corporation has named “infinity energy”) to evolve, but is malnourished and faced with such a dearth of resources that continuing to live a mobile life is becoming unsustainable. In such a case a Chikorita will seek out a patch of the most fertile soil it can find, prioritizing this above all else, and then will plant itself there as it evolves. Its body remains small, so it hardly requires any more nutrients than it did previously, and its legs extend into roots beneath it so that it only needs to acquire energy to sustain itself and grow, and not waste any energy on walking.

Most of its evolutionary energy is spent in reconfiguring its legs in this manner, and in sprouting its neck-buds, which in usual Chikoritas does not occur until it becomes Meganium. These massive petals are necessary for Blossomole, as their large surface areas relative to the Pokemon's size make them capable of producing large amounts of energy via photosynthesis. Its spindly roots, meanwhile, reach deep into the ground in search of water and nutrients. A Blossomole can easily remain in this state for a decade, until it has stockpiled enough nutrients and environmental conditions have become favorable once more. Then, its body will grow into its petals, and it can resume a mobile lifestyle as a Meganium.

The most common circumstances of Blossomole evolution are severe droughts, total depletion of soil nutrients, or such excessive cloud cover that hardly any sunlight reaches the ground. Because of this virtually all Trainer-owned Chikorita evolve into regular Bayleef. Seeing a Blossomole in a Trainer's possession should ring alarm bells to authorities, as it is likely a sign of severe maltreatment unless it can be verified that the Blossomole was caught in its state.


	2. Hoennian Noctowl, the Screech Owl Pokemon

Also known as the screech Noctowl (with the more common type known as the great-horned Noctowl), this rare variety of Noctowl was first spotted in the wild in the Hoenn region. Screech Noctowl and their Hoothoot offspring are extremely reclusive, tending to avoid even their own kind. Because of their solitary nature, utterly silent flight, and preference for hunting in the dead of night in thick forests on high mountain tops, these Pokemon remained unknown to science for presumably hundreds of years, although it is unknown how long a population of Hoothoot and Noctowl has existed in Hoenn. The few substantiated sightings have all been made from a distance, on misty mountaintops considered mirages by locals.

Screech Noctowl get their nickname from the high-pitched trills and shrieks they produce when attracting a mate or warning off intruders on their territory. Their unearthly wails, echoing through forests and across mountainsides, found a place for themselves in Hoennian folklore long before the variant itself was discovered. Urban legend said that their screeches were made by the despairing souls of travelers who got lost in the mythical miragelands and never found their way out again, and curious children were warned to turn back and run home if they heard those wails, or they too would become lost.

It was these legends that ultimately lead scientists to launch more thorough investigations into Hoenn's mysterious shifting forests and mountains. They were determined to get to the bottom of the strange screeches, and were extremely excited at the prospect of discovering a new species of Pokemon. When the first observations were made, the scientists briefly thought that screech Noctowl was a new type of owl Pokemon entirely. It was only when they observed it standing on one foot, then rapidly switch from one to the other like Hoothoot, that they realized it was a new regional variant of Noctowl. Research into its behavior are ongoing, and trainers from across the world have flocked to Hoenn to try to catch their own screech Noctowl.


	3. Sunmola, the Flatfish Pokemon; Anchorage, the Weighed Pokemon; Grotess, the Gulper Pokemon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grotess being Anchorage's evolution really doesn't make much sense to me, so I tried to present an argument for why I think it's unrelated to them while also addressing why it could be related, and then shrouded it in in-world rarity and hypotheses so that hopefully, people in both camps can find its description satisfying (are there any big Grotess or Anchorage fans out there? I'm genuinely curious as to how popular the Beta crowd are a few months out from their discovery).

Not many people are aware that the Carvanha line has a close relative native to the open seas between the oceanic drop-off past Johto's coast and the infamously treacherous Whirl Islands. This is because of their relative isolation. The waters around the Whirl Islands are so wracked by tumultuous currents that they can only safely be approached by humans carried by a Pokemon which knows how to navigate around whirlpools. To attempt to use Dive to get a glimpse of those depths is to invite death along for the ride; even submersibles find it difficult to traverse what are widely thought to be Lugia's nesting grounds. The Pokemon one might encounter on such a journey are obviously only those that spend much of their time at the surface. Pokemon that spend much of their lives below the photic zone are rare sights even for scientists, let alone for collectors or curious Trainers.

Sunmola, and its evolution Anchorage, are deep-sea Pokemon endemic to the benthyal plain around the Whirl Islands. Fairly recent studies of these species using submarines flanked by loyal, powerful Water Pokemon to carefully adjust course and avoid being totally trapped in a maelstrom have produced most of the data concerning this line.

Sunmola tends to venture into relatively shallower waters more often than its evolution, and farther out to sea. For the most part they get around by allowing water currents to carry them where they will, and their broad sides but low mass make it very easy for them to be buffeted about. It is not until they have nearly enough power and energy to evolve that Sunmola begin to strive to get closer to land, and start abandoning their omnivorous, opportunistic feeding style to more actively seek out prey.

After Sunmola evolves, it spends most of its life at the ocean floor. Anchorage is a very strong Pokemon; it has to be, to be able to follow a course of its own choosing without being thrown around by the powerful currents that writhe at the bottom of the ocean where Lugia abide. The other adaptation that allows Anchorage to live this way is the massive, heavy anchor at the end of its tail. If Anchorage wants to remain in one general area– usually so it may lie in wait to snap up unfortunate prey unable to escape the currents- it digs its anchor's spikes into the seabed and Hardens it in addition to increasing its own Gravity. When it wishes to move, it uses its might to drag itself forward, occasionally Autotomizing excess built-up mass to allow it to move more swiftly.

On the rare occasions Anchorage has been spotted away from the deep sea torrents, it has proven to be a very fast predator if it can use its abilities to streamline and lighten its anchor. With submersible technology and the drive to discover always advancing, it may not be long before Trainers have befriended this one of Johto's rarest Water Pokemon.

 

Grotess is a Pokemon which was once widely thought to be the final evolution of Sunmola, as it shares Anchorage's typing, habitat, and dietary habits, and has a larger mass than Anchorage. However, a recent survey has cast doubt on this idea. Grotess's skeletal structure is significantly different from both Sunmola and Anchorage. It lacks the half-fish shape of either of these Pokemon, instead having eel-like morphology similar to Pokemon such as Gorebyss, Huntail, and Eelektross, with a pair of simple undulating fins totally attached to its body as opposed to the detached limbs of its supposed pre-evolutions. Rather than having a fleshy body which terminates in a metal chain and anchor, the most distinguishing characteristic of Anchorage, Grotess has a long, muscular tail ending in a few simple spikes. Dramatic changes in physiology are known to occur in Pokemon lines, but not typically at the final stage, nor do they usually display a total loss of a previously gained trait. Understandably this has become a somewhat contentious issue in Johto's marine biology community.

What is known for certain about Grotess is that it is an opportunistic rover rather than an active predator, gulping up anything smaller than itself that it happens to swim into, or happens to swim into it after being attracted by its rudimentary lure. Its great size and muscular serpentine body allow it to use the wild currents of the Whirl Islands to speed its travel without being totally swept away or rendered helpless. The majority of Grotess sightings however have not been made as close to the archipelago as Anchorage, but have instead occurred in the open benthic and abyssal zones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rare Pokemon living in isolated, hard-to-reach places is probably going to be a running theme here; I'm writing these entries with the idea that all of the Spaceworld Demo Pokemon exist and have existed in-world for a long time, so I'm trying to explain why they haven't been catalogued in Pokedexes or otherwise exist out of the public eye.
> 
> My main inspiration for Anchorage's lifestyle was that, well, it's a very aerodynamic shark but it's got a huge anchor on its tail. Wouldn't that create a lot of drag? Wouldn't that weigh it down? That gave me the idea to put it at the ocean floor near the Whirl Islands, with the anchor's deadweight being used to benefit Anchorage by keeping it in place to be an ambush/opportunistic predator. If anyone who knows anything about mola mola or deep sea shark lifestyles thinks something should be added, let me know! This is mostly just a fun exercise and I'm always happy to improve on worldbuilding.
> 
> Up next will probably be beta Murkrow, or a general essay that describes how all the beta baby Pokemon can exist, though I'd prefer to keep that one a little later.


	4. Kalosian Murkrow

For obvious reasons, there are many species of bird Pokemon which may be seen the world over. Pidgey in particular is so prolific and persistent that it in some cities it's derisively called “Rattata with wings.” While not as much of a global urban nuisance, Murkrow is one of these Flying wide-rangers, and it is one of the few to show significant signs of geographic variation. The Murkrow of Kalos are especially unique, not just for their development of new physical traits and abilities, but because they have retained them. Most bird Pokemon are fairly homogenous across the globe, for the same reason that they are so widespread: Individuals and migratory flocks can cover a very wide range, so populations separated by huge distances can intermingle and become indistinguishable.

Murkrow, however, are much more “cliquey,” with social groups of varying sizes guarding their territories jealously, often under the command of a highly experienced and intelligent Honchkrow. Young Murkrow are known to be very curious and social, but as they age they become fairly set in their ways and very choosy with who they are willing to befriend. With intruders often receiving a hostile welcome in the form of mobbing, Murkrow are prevented from making much headway in traveling far beyond their home range.

Nowhere are the effects of this socially-enforced isolation as obvious as in Kalos. Rather than flocking in urban areas at lower elevations, these Pokemon form looser affiliations and prefer to live higher up. While their social bonds are no shallower than any other Murkrow's, the shaggier Kalosian birds are notable for spending much of their time solitary. With their affinity for special attacks and learning Psychic and Ghost-Type moves, bushy tails, and long, pointy head crests, they have become deeply associated with the occult and hex maniacs' urban legends in central Kalos. All over the Pokemon world, names given to flocks of Murkrow reflect their territorial nature and keen intelligence: Murder, mob, unkindness, conspiracy. But only in Kalos is a group of Murkrow known as a coven.


	5. Baby Form Pokemon, Part 1

A “baby Pokemon” refers to an evolutionary stage in which a Pokemon cannot reach physical maturity. While evolution is a large part of a Pokemon's life, it is not always necessary, technically speaking. Most first-stage Pokemon can remain in that stage from the moment they hatch until they finally pass on. This is not so with baby Pokemon. These Pokemon will inevitably evolve.

Some Pokemon always hatch in their baby stage. These Pokemon are all social, and being hatched underdeveloped gives these Pokemon greater neural and behavioral plasticity as they grow up safe in the care of their family. The most social breeds require the establishment of a strong, mutual bond between the baby Pokemon and their family in order to evolve, at which point they can mature and take their place in the social order. These Pokemon include Pichu, Cleffa, Igglybuff, Togepi, and Riolu. Other Pokemon that always hatch in this stage simply need to battle enough to evolve, which allows them to train and grow under their family's supervision before they evolve and leave to look after themselves; these include Tyrogue, Smoochum, Magby, and Elekid.

In other cases, baby Pokemon may only hatch occasionally, and many individuals of their species will hatch directly into their second stage. The prevailing hypothesis in the scientific community is that these baby stages were selected for because they provide an advantage during harder times. When the mother Pokemon frequently experiences surges of adrenaline and does not maintain a particular level of reserved nutrients and energy, her body releases a chemical that stalls unlaid eggs' development and sends them down an alternate developmental pathway, causing them to hatch as baby Pokemon. This can also be made to occur in captivity through the use of specialized incenses which induce the production of these chemicals in even the safest and most bountiful of environments.

Because they hatch relatively weak and helpless, these baby Pokemon are guarded carefully by their family in the wild as they grow and learn what they need to survive before they have to face a harsh world on their own. Some have to form close bonds so they can become a full member of a coherent social group that they will rely on (Azuril, Budew, Chingling, Munchlax), others need to train with their family (Wynaut), and still others need to learn a particular move or some other behavior crucial to their adult lifestyle before they can evolve (Mime Jr., Bonsly, Happiny, Mantyke).

And some baby Pokemon just build up “infinity energy” (the energy which allows a Pokemon to undergo a speedy evolution) extremely quickly. These particular Pokemon only need a few battles to level up enough to evolve. This allows them to quickly build up strength shortly after hatching, which is a great advantage if they emerge into a harsh world. While these Pokemon do not get many [effort values], this fast evolution gives them the power, size, and improved abilities of their second form, giving them a strong chance at surviving long enough to get those [effort values] later. These baby Pokemon evolve so quickly that they are very poorly known, and might even be considered a premature variation of their second stage by those unfamiliar with them. Furthermore, incenses which trigger this developmental pathway have not yet been synthesized, meaning that it is extremely unlikely that they will hatch to Trainer-owned Pokemon. They are Trifox, Puddi, Minicorn, Meowsy, Chiks, Tangel, Golppy, Grimey, and Para.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next entries I'll post will be for the beta babies (aside from Tangel, who is described with Gelanla). Since my explanation for how the beta babies can exist in the Pokemon world without being in official 'dexes is pretty much entirely contained in this chapter, each one will get a shorter description than the others, and all of them will be bundled together in part 2 of this chapter.


	6. Baby Form Pokemon, Part 2: Trifox, Para, and Meowsy

Trifox, the Tiny Fox Pokemon:

When it hatches, a Trifox has very pale orange fur (or powder blue, in the case of Alolan Trifox), and three pure white tails located so closely together they appear to be one tail, especially under all of its fluffy fur. Within a few weeks of hatching, as Trifox grows and plays, its tails will start to fan out, giving it the appearance of having a single tail that slowly splits. Its fur will also start to become darker (or more blue-tinged), starting at its paws, muzzle, and the bases of its tails. It is usually ready to evolve into Vulpix once it has developed enough motor skills to move its tails independently enough that they look fully separate. Both common and Alolan variants of Trifox can learn status-inducing moves earlier than their later forms can, equipping Vulpix that hatch in this stage with an additional tool in their arsenals.

 

Para, the Spore Pokemon:

While sensationalized Pokedex entries and Trainer folklore speak of the Paras line being infested and enslaved to the fungi growing on them, this old idea has been largely rejected by current researchers. The modern consensus is that the fungus is no longer a parasite, but an endosymbiont. Just as the fungus cannot obtain nutrients on its own, and must be sustained with the bug's food, the bug can no longer survive without outsourcing some of its functions to the fungus; in the case of Parasect, its autonomic nervous systems is assimilated by the mushroom (its cerebral cortex, however, is fully its own). The only stage at which the bug can live somewhat independently from the fungus is in the poorly-known nymph stage, known as Para. This baby bug almost always hatches in a dark, damp place where the fungus' spores can grow on it. Para is pure Bug-type, and while it can walk around and gobble up morsels of food on its own, without the safety of a mushroom to retreat to and the integration of its spores, it must fend for itself and cannot evolve into a stronger, mature form. A bonus of hatching in this form, rather than directly into Paras, is that Para can learn Spore at an earlier level.

 

Mewosy, the Sleepy Cat Pokemon:

Meowsy hatch unable to open their eyes or raise their ears, and while they do acquire these motor skills fairly quickly they don't like being bothered to use them. These small kitten Pokemon devote most of their time to sleeping, eating, and growing quickly. They can't stand upright like Meowth sometimes can, and tend to be a little wobbly on their feet, but like all young Pokemon they're not totally helpless. Meowth that begin as Meowsy are generally more skilled with special and status moves than physical moves, as Meowsy are quite capable of practicing techniques that don't require them to get up and move around much. Additionally, unlike Meowth and Persian, Meowsy can learn the move Baby-Doll Eyes. This not only protects them from soft-hearted would-be attackers, but also ensures that they can charm their way into the hearts of anything that might be able to take care of them; research suggests that Meowsy have evolved so that their cuteness is at its peak when they are at the age when they are most likely to be able to survive alone long enough to find a new caretaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to do all of the baby Pokemon sans Tangel and ones like Pichu and Elekid in one big batch, but that's clearly just holding me back and I'd like to be able to keep updating this. So, instead of posting them all at once, I'm going to do it more gradually.
> 
> Trifox's entry is almost entirely based on the old Vulpix entries that said it was born with a single, pure white tail.
> 
> I like the Paras line, but at the same time it's always creeped me out; as with the question of what Cubone looks like under the skull mask, I used to wonder what Paras would be like if it wasn't infested by an evil mushroom. So, the approach I took here was that over time, the mushroom and bug evolved together until they were no longer parasite and miserable host, but two symbionts that depend on each other for certain functions. I thought it would be interesting if the mushroom provided the access to Grass typing and abilities, though, hence making Para a single-typed Pokemon.
> 
> Meowsy's entry is based on a bit of research about newborn kittens, and also by articles I saw recently hypothesizing that puppies evolved to be at their most cute when they're most likely to need human intervention- too young to fully fend for themselves, but just old enough to not constantly need their mother's attention, so they can live long enough to find a human that feels sorry for them.


End file.
